


Arsenic

by horrific-space (richiespacedust1)



Series: Kill the Competition - Chicago AU [2]
Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Blood, Dialogue Heavy, Graphic Description, Graphic Description of Corpses, M/M, Murder, Poisoning, i listened to funny honey on repeat while writing this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-21 10:50:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17042330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/richiespacedust1/pseuds/horrific-space
Summary: “I met Ezekiel Young from Salt Lake city about two years agoAnd he told me he was singleAnd we hit it off right awaySo, we started living togetherHe'd go to work, he'd come homeI'd fix him a drink, we'd have dinnerAnd then I found out,"Single" he told meSingle, my assNot only was he marriedOh, no, he had six wivesOne of those Mormons, you knowSo that night when he came home from work,I fixed him his drink as usualYou know, some guys just can't hold their arsenic.”





	Arsenic

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Onyx_Snow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onyx_Snow/gifts).



> This work contains graphic content, including poisoning. Read at your own risk.  
> (also I just wanted to write one of my favorite newsies madly in love w my best friends favorite newsie and now she's never going to let me hear the end of it because I killed him off)  
> Olivia I am SO SORRY I made your son, the light of your life, a lying, cheating man whore and then killing him off, so this part is dedicated to you  
> Also to all the people speculating in the comments of part one: I am so sorry.. please, forgive me

"Welcome home, handsome. How was work?" It's been six years since Albert and his boyfriend, Elmer, started seeing each other. Three since Elmer officially moved to Chicago, and moved in with him. Elmer didn't speak, just sat down in the living room with a loud sigh. Albert rolled his eyes, and started fixing Elmer his drink, like usual. The rest of the night went on without any problems, and they went to bed.

 **A Week Later**  
As Albert laid under the car, fixing a leak in the brake line, he heard the sounds of high heels walking across the cement. "Al? Are you in here?" It was his sister-in-law, and shortly after he heard the mismatched steps of his youngest brother. "Al?"

"Yeah, I'm in here." He crawled out from under the car, wiping his hands on his pant legs. "Whatcha need?" His brother, redheaded like him, but with the dark eyes of their mother, stood before him, shyly. "Marcus? What did you come here for?" He asked again, standing up.

"Oh, Al, I'm so sorry you have to go through this. You must be so strong." His sister-in-law, Maisy, cried, hugging him tightly. Confused, he patted her on the back. His brother wouldn't meet his eyes. "Come inside. It seems like we have something to talk about." He lead them into the house, his arm remaining wrapped around Maisy's waist. "Take a seat, the both of you. Can I get you something to drink?"

"No, thank you, Al." His brother finally spoke, the words hanging thickly in the air.  
"Well, then, would you like to tell me what brought you to my house for the first time in ten years? I thought that after you figured out I was a... what did you call me again, Marcus? What was that thing you called me?" Albert leaned against the counter, arms crossed, staring at his brother expectantly.  
"I think he called you-"  
"No, no Maisy. I want to hear it from him." He cut her off, watching his younger brother closely. Marcus shifted, still not meeting his brother's eyes.  
"A.. a fucking bachelor floozy." He whispered.  
"A bachelor floozy! That's right! Can you believe that, Maisy? Your husband there called his brother, his _own damn brother,_ who _trusted_ him, a bachelor floozy! You know what floozy means, don't you Maisy?"  
Her head snapped over to her husband, a betrayed look in her eyes. "You told me you and Al stopped talking cuz your daddy put you against him! Why would you lie to me, Marcus?"  
"Because he didn't want to tell you his brother was a homosexual. Isn't that right, Marcus. You're _ashamed_ of me, aren't you?"  
"I'm not ashamed of you, Al. And Maisy knew as well as the entire family does that you're gay. She knew it before we even started dating."  
"Well, if it's not to say you're sorry for turning the entire family against me, then what is it?" Albert snapped coldly.

Maisy looked between the two of them. "You mean, you don't know, Al?"

"Know what? Oh, god, did something happen to Elmer? Is he... is he dead?" Tears started to sting his eyes, and his hands started to shake. He pulled his arms tighter against his chest in an effort to conceal it.  
"No, your... boyfriend... isn't dead. But there's something you should probably know about him, Al. Something you're not gonna like." Marcus finally met his eyes.  
Albert shifted uncomfortably. "Well, tell me already! I got a car I need to be working on!" Maisy started crying, and flung herself into his arms. "Oh, Al! He's cheatin on you! With six women! Six, Al! That nasty Mormon boy isn't tellin you the truth!" She sobbed onto his shoulder. Albert just stood there, his face blank. He didn't know what to do, much less say. Maisy sniffed a couple times, and pulled back.

"Oh, Al, I'm so sorry you had to find out like this." She whispered, taking his hand. He pulled it back, his face suddenly cold.  
"I need you two to leave. I have a car that needs tending to. Thanks for visiting. You know where the door is." He turned around, leaning heavily on the counter. Tears streamed down his face as he heard the door close behind them.

 **A Few Hours Later**  
"Al? I'm home. Where are you, babe?" Elmer called, walking in through the front door. Albert took in a deep breath, steeling himself.  
"I'm in the kitchen, hon!" He called, cheerily.  
Elmer entered the kitchen, and hugged Albert from behind. "How is the most handsome man doing today?" He whispered, kissing the back of Albert's neck. Albert smiled, although it pained him to do so.

"Today was fine. My brother, Marcus? He and his wife visited today."  
"You mean the one who hasn't spoken to you in ten years because you're gay?"  
"Yeah. He came to say he made a mistake, and that he was sorry." Another painful lie. Did Elmer feel this way lying to him all these years? Did Elmer even love him?  
"Well, that's good. It's about time." Elmer smiled against Albert's neck, his hands drifting under his shirt. Albert resisted the urge to squirm, and leaned back against him, smiling.

"How do you feel about lamb for dinner?" He whispered, reaching up to run his hands through Elmer's hair.  
"Sounds good. You go to the store today?" Another kiss to the neck. "Yeah. Finally got the brake line fixed on the car. Want something to drink?"  
"Sure, sweetheart. Want any help with dinner?" Always the sweetest, Elmer was. "No thanks, honey. I got it covered. You just go sit down. I'll bring out your drink." And a little something else. "Well, alright then." Elmer gave him a well placed kiss, right behind his ear, which never failed to make him melt. Sickeningly, it worked even now.

As Elmer walked out of the kitchen, Albert grabbed a glass. He poured some whiskey, and checking to make sure his boyfriend wasn't watching, grabbed a small container he had hidden in the cupboard, and poured a little of the contents into his drink. Mixing it, he brought it into the living room.  
"Here ya go, sweetheart." He kissed Elmer on the cheek, perching on the side of the chair. Elmer took a sip, and then set his drink aside, pulling Albert into his lap. Momentarily forgetting the betrayal, Albert laughed, falling into his lap, kissing him gently. _Oh shit, the arsenic._ He thought, pulling back gently. "I should probably get back to dinner, huh?" He giggled slightly, giddy in love. Elmer smiled. God, how Albert loved his smile.

Halfway through dinner is where things started to get interesting. Elmer started coughing, which wouldn't have been a big deal if there wasn't blood on the napkin. Albert watched as Elmer tried to play it off like nothing had happened. Which got Albert thinking.  
"You okay there, sweetheart? That was a pretty hard cough." He feigned concern, watching his boyfriend, his lying, _cheating,_ man-whore boyfriend, for any tell-tale signs that the poison was working. And, soon enough, Elmer's hands started to shake as he brought the food to his mouth. Albert had done his research, had asked doctors and nurses about just how long it took for arsenic to kill someone. Half an hour, they said. An eighth of a teaspoon can kill someone in half an hour. Albert had put a little more than that, just for good measure.  
"Are you alright, sweetheart?" He asked, feigning worry. Elmer coughed again, and waved him off.  
"I'm fine, Al. I'm fine." He told him.

_He thinks he's gonna be fine. How cute._

Albert stared at his disloyal boyfriend's face, watching every little thing that went on. It was intriguing, honestly. And _fun._ Just how many wives did Maisy say he have again? Preoccupied with his thoughts, and whether or not it'd be "unclassy" to kill more than one person in the same way, Albert didn't realize Elmer's eyes roll up into the back of his head, and only became aware of his surroundings when he heard the **_thud!_** of his boyfriend hitting the floor.

Instinctually, Albert shot out of his chair and ran over to Elmer. But he quickly remembered that _he_ had put him in this spot, and resorted to sitting on the floor, holding Elmer's head in his lap. He pet his hair, the way he knew would calm Elmer down, all the while whispering quietly. "Oh, Elmer, sweetheart. I forgot to tell you. There was a little... surprise in that drink. Yeah, a surprise. What was it, you ask? Oh, just a little bit of arsenic I picked up at the store today!" He laughed manically while Elmer seized in his arms, all the while petting him like he was some sort of sick puppy. "You see, Elmer. You haven't been very truthful to me. 'Oh, yeah, handsome. I'm single.' Do you remember who said that, sweetheart?" Elmer jerked violently, foam starting to pass his lips. Albert giggled.  
"That's right, Elmer! It was you! The day we met in that bar in Utah! You told me you were single, and we danced, and you took me home. You took me home and I fell in love with you and we moved in together. We moved in together, Elmer." Albert was starting to lose it, tears running down his face. "I fell in _love_ with you, and you _betrayed_ me, and I couldn't bear to live with that, Elmer! I couldn't bear to live with the information that my handsome, loving boyfriend would do such an atrocious thing to me." Elmer's body jerked violently again, foam pouring out of his mouth. He kept coughing, blood turning the foam pink, and dark red in places the blood clots came out.

Suddenly, Elmer stilled. The blood and foam slowly leaked out of his mouth, drenching Albert's hands in red. Albert sobbed brokenly, and screamed, the sound tearing out of his throat. He remained there for several hours, screaming, crying, begging for things to have turned out differently. As he heard the sirens approaching, he closed his eyes, and accepted his fate.

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter was a little longer than I intended, but I feel like it got the point and the emotion across well. Also my search history is now VERY incriminating if I were ever to be framed for murder.  
> Again: Olivia I am so sorry please forgive me


End file.
